Experimental Mechanics

Precise Stress and Impact Characterization.

Tensile testing of a steel rod observed in infrared using Telops' FAST M2k. Video courtesy of University of Waterloo, Canada.

Tensile testing of a composite material observed in infrared with a Telops’ hd camera. Video courtesy of University of Waterloo, Canada.

High-Speed Infrared Imaging of a Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar Experiment. Video courtesy of the Structural Impact Laboratory (SIMLab) of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Projectile impact observed on a composite material plate.

Characterization of mechanical properties such as Young’s modulus, shear strain, viscosity and fracture toughness is very important in the development process of new alloys and composite materials. Researchers typically carry out many different measurements like tensile displacement tests, compression tests and fatigue tests using extensometer and split-Hopkinson bars setups. Infrared imaging allows to characterize the energy released by the investigated material as it undergoes elastic and plastic deformation up to the fracture point.